Hawaiian Pasta Salad Ham Pineapple (Printable)

Tropical pasta with ham, pineapple, crisp vegetables, and creamy tropical dressing.

# Components:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz rotini or bow tie pasta
02 - 1 tsp salt for boiling water

→ Salad Mix-ins

03 - 7 oz cooked ham, diced
04 - 8 oz canned pineapple tidbits, drained
05 - 1 cup red bell pepper, diced
06 - ½ cup celery, finely chopped
07 - ½ cup red onion, finely diced
08 - ½ cup frozen peas, thawed

→ Dressing

09 - ½ cup ranch dressing
10 - ⅓ cup mayonnaise
11 - 1 tbsp pineapple juice from can
12 - 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
13 - ½ tsp black pepper
14 - ¼ tsp salt or to taste

→ Garnish

15 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped (optional)

# Steps:

01 - Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Drain in colander and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Allow to cool completely.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled pasta, ham, pineapple tidbits, red bell pepper, celery, red onion, and thawed peas.
03 - In a separate small bowl, whisk together ranch dressing, mayonnaise, reserved pineapple juice, fresh lime juice, black pepper, and salt until smooth and well combined.
04 - Pour prepared dressing over pasta mixture. Toss gently with utensils until all ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Cover bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving to allow flavors to meld.
06 - Just before serving, garnish with chopped fresh parsley or cilantro if desired. Mix gently and serve chilled.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's the kind of dish that disappears first at potlucks because the sweet and savory balance feels like a happy accident.
  • Everything comes together in under thirty minutes, leaving you time to actually enjoy being outside instead of sweating in the kitchen.
  • The flavors actually get better as it sits in the fridge, so you can make it the night before without any stress.
02 -
  • Don't skip rinsing the pasta under cold water or it'll clump up and throw off your whole texture game, which I learned the hard way the first time I made this.
  • The pineapple juice in the dressing is what actually makes this taste Hawaiian and not just ranch-covered pasta, so don't be tempted to skip it thinking it won't matter.
  • Make this at least an hour ahead because the pasta is actually bland if you eat it right away, but give it time and it transforms into something that tastes like it's been simmering all day.
03 -
  • Make the dressing separately first and taste it before adding it to the pasta, that way you can adjust the seasoning to your preference instead of trying to fix it later.
  • Use a good quality ranch dressing because it's the foundation of the whole flavor profile, and the difference between store brands is actually noticeable when it's the main seasoning.
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